Bank of Scotland (Ireland) under pressure over its Citywest plans

PROPERTY

Emmet Oliver

Attempts by Bank of Scotland (Ireland) to recoup some of its €140m loan to the Citywest complex, once owned by Jim Mansfield, are facing strong opposition from residents who've written to the bank with complaints about the condition of the site.

Attempts by Bank of Scotland (Ireland) to recoup some of its €140m loan to the Citywest complex, once owned by Jim Mansfield, are facing strong opposition from residents who've written to the bank with complaints about the condition of the site.

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Bank of Scotland (Ireland) under pressure over its Citywest plans

Independent.ie

Attempts by Bank of Scotland (Ireland) to recoup some of its €140m loan to the Citywest complex, once owned by Jim Mansfield, are facing strong opposition from residents who've written to the bank with complaints about the condition of the site.

The bank's receivers, Ferris & Associates, were appointed in July 2010 and are seeking to build a new bus area and entrance so that additional buses can access the hotel complex. The complex is owned by a firm called HSS Ltd.

However, despite the involvement of the receivers, residents insist that Bank of Scotland (Ireland) deal with a range of issues at the site, including a planned language school, which lies empty, and an uncompleted golf course.

Some residents also believe any expansion at the site was "completely unnecessary'' in the light of the slump in the hotel market. One resident had written a letter to South Dublin County Council describing the bank as a "failed institution''.

However, Bank of Scotland (Ireland) -- now operating as Certus -- has referred all queries to the receivers.

Meanwhile, the local authority has requested additional information on what the receivers planned at the site and its implications for housing in the area.

A letter sent to the receivers from the local authority stated: "The planning authority has concerns in relation to the impact of the proposed development on the adjoining residential zoning lands."

The extra space for buses is also questioned by the planners, and officials warned that the new bus facilities would "encroach on oncoming traffic''.

The recievers believed it was important to get some planning issues resolved at Citywest.

"The proposed development will resolve several issues relating to the overall landholding of HSS.''

Lands to the east of the current complex can be developed for residential purposes, claimed an application from the receivers, but in order to do this changes would be needed.

"It is therefore necessary to be capable of developing the site independently of the adjoining college campus,'' they stated.